TOWARDS A NEW/OLD HUMANISM:
TRANSITIONAL STATES OF
CONSCIOUSNESS AS A CLUE?

Dejan
Rakovic

Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Belgrade University,
P.O.Box 35-54, 11120 Belgrade, Yugoslavia
&
European Centre for Peace
and Development (ECPD) of the United Nations University for Peace,
Terazije
41, 11000 Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Abstract

It is pointed out (in the framework of the
author's biophysical relativistic model of altered states of consciousness) that
transitional states of consciousness represent an excellent framework for
the understanding and mental control of transpersonal mystical states of
consciousness described in various religious and esoteric traditions of East
and West during the history of civilization, implying their real biophysical
nature. The transitional character of these states also demonstrates why these
phenomena are short-lasting and poorly reproducible, and also why they are
most easily mentally controlled shortly before a waking/sleeping transitional
state. This might also be an explanation for the extraordinary efficiency of
prayer accomplished shortly before sleeping. This practice is recommended by all
religious traditions. It also has significance in the mutual reprogramming
of psychic conflicts (as a germ of the future interpersonal fight; as well as
of the potential psychosomatic and psychological disorders of the persons in
conflict); as well as during transpersonal interactions of the persons in
conflict. All this suggests that a deeper biophysical understanding of the nature
of consciousness and transpersonal phenomena might soon give rise to scientific
understanding and empirical verification of even fundamental
philosophical/religious questions (like the practical/spiritual significance of
imperative moral behavior of every individual and the appearance of a new
type of humanism.)

1. Introduction

It is currently estimated that the
problem of consciousness belongs to the ten most significant scientific problems,
owing to its potential scientific implications, including a possibility for
deeper understanding of some ultimate philosophical/ religious questions.
Traditionally, these have remained outside the domain of theoretical and
experimental methods of natural sciences. And therefore have been a subject of
deep and painful irrational divisions throughout the whole history of human
civilization.

The prevailing scientific paradigm considers information
processing inside the central nervous system as occurring through hierarchically
organized and interconnected neural networks. There has been a development of
experimental techniques enabling the physiological investigation of interactions
of hierarchically interconnected neighboring levels of biological neural
networks. In addition, there has been a significant contribution in establishing
the neural network paradigm by theoretical breakthroughs in this field during the
past decade [1]. Apart from the brain's hierarchy of neural networks, a
significant role in global distribution and memorizing (over the whole cortex) of
hierarchically processed information is played by brainwaves [2]. Of particular
interest in this process is the extended reticular-thalamic activating system
(ERTAS) [3]. ERTAS is characterized as a hierarchical system of neural networks
which compares currently processed information with the one memorized in the
cortex, giving priority and amplifying one piece of information to the conscious
level; the remaining pieces of information rest non-amplified at unconscious
levels. This is basically also the mechanism of "emotional coloring" of some
information.

A particularly significant role of brainwaves involves
modeling states of consciousness -- and especially altered states of
consciousness. The latter state is characterized by an extraordinary
acceleration in psychological information processing. This processing cannot be
explained by the purely electrochemical intersynaptic processes found in
biological neural networks. This is because the mechanisms of the ERTAS are not
accelerated up to several orders of magnitude. Moreover, the subjective time
sense is dilated in altered states of consciousness [4-6] in respect to the
normal awake state.

According to the author's biophysical model for altered states
of consciousness [7-9], the electromagnetic (EM) component of ultralow-frequency
(ULF) "brainwaves," as related to "subjective" reference frame of consciousness,
enables perfect fitting with the narrowed-down limits of conscious capacity in
normal awake states and also with the very extended limits found in altered
states of consciousness. These effects are due to the biophysical, relativistic
mechanism of the dilated subjective time base. In this model,
consciousness is a subtle internal display in the form of an EM component
comprised of ULF brainwave ionic currents. Complete information (both conscious
and unconscious) is permanently coded from the brain's neural networks as a
spatio-temporal pattern, and is resulting from changes of the electrosynaptic
interconnections in the neural networks of the brain.

Thus, according to this model, altered states of consciousness (REM sleep,
meditation, hypnosis, psychedelic drug influence, some psychopathological states,
and near-death experiences) are a consequence of the partial displacement of the
ionic acupuncture system outside the body (when the embedded EM component of ULF
brainwaves is propagating throughout this weakly ionized structured gaseous
medium of low-dielectric relative permittivity, er» 1), while normal states of
consciousness (alert state, non-REM sleep, ...) are achieved when there are
no such displacements (when brainwaves are propagating only through the
structured brain tissue of high-dielectric relative permittivity, er » 1)!

According to this model, dreams and dream-like
hallucinogenic states are characteristics of altered states of consciousness
(er» 1). In
such states, the relativistic Doppler mapping of the EM component of the
"objective" ULF brainwaves power spectrum on the zero-degenerate frequency
"subjective" spectrum - enables dream-like mixing of normally conscious and
unconscious contents. This could be the biophysical mechanism of dreams. In
particular, this implies their psychological significance. In dreams, one has
continuous access and more efficient "subjective" integration of normally
conscious and unconscious contents, thereby giving rise to integration and growth
of human personality (which is otherwise divided into conscious and unconscious
associative "ego" states). As a consequence, this process results in the
alleviation of emotional conflicts [7-10]! Then meditation, as a prolonged
altered state of consciousness, enables a more efficient "subjective"
integration of human personality. But this is inevitably accompanied by a decay
of ultradian rhythm. This rhythm governs alterations of both normal and altered
states of consciousness (having a periodicity ~ 1.5 - 2 hours, in both waking and
sleeping [11]). However, if a person bears strong internal psychic conflicts,
i.e. "ego states," the result of such a prolonged meditation will be the
integration of human personality around several of the foregoing "ego-states."
This will produce the undesirable result of a multiply-divided (instead of well
integrated) personality. Competent teachers of meditation are fully aware of
these perils, and do not recommend its accelerated practice to psychically weak
persons (for whom the main priority is often a reprogramming of psychic
conflicts.) We shall consider this further on within the context of controlled
transpersonal interactions in transitional states of consciousness.

The displaced ionic structure in this model must have a form of a
weakly ionized gaseous "optical" neural network. This is necessary for
continually inflowing information from the brain's neural networks to be
"subjectively" recognized. Hence, such an ionic neural network behaves also as an
optical sensor, which can perceive an environment panoramically, as
reported by reanimated persons [6].

2. Transitional States of Consciousness: Biophysical Basis of Mystical States

Even the most peculiar spatio-temporal transpersonal
interactions are predicted in transitional (nonstationary) states of
interchange of normal and altered states of consciousness. This occurs when
brainwaves traverse from high-dielectric (er » 1) to low-dielectric (er» 1) state or vice versa -- the relative velocity of "subjective" reference frame being
therefore subjected to abrupt change in short transitional period t ~ 0,1 s, with "subjective frame" acceleration ~
co/t ~109 m/s2.

A deeper understanding of the physical mechanisms of these
processes obviously sinks into the General theory of relativity. This is because
physical processes in a highly accelerated reference frame outside the
gravitational field and those inside a strong gravitational field with equal
(gravitational) acceleration are identical. (This is the so-called Principle
of equivalence, which is one of the fundamentals of both Newton's and
Einstein's theories of gravitation). Theoretical analyses show [12] that in
enormously strong gravitational fields, so-called "wormholes" (or Einstein-Rosen
space-time bridges) are created, whose entrance and exit could be in very distant
space-time points. As in transitional states of consciousness, the "subjective"
reference frame (as related to an EM field of brainwaves), is subjected to a very
quick change of velocity.
This is accompanied by an equivalent acceleration comparable with that of one
being in an enormously strong gravitational field of wormholes. This is in
accordance with the Principle of equivalence. This is as one would expect in such
brief states, given the creation of the Einstein-Rosen bridge. The tunneling of
"subjective observer;" i.e. consciousness as previously "mentally addressed;"
simply exits in space-time. Such reminiscences on passing through some sort of
tunnel are often reported by many patients reanimated from clinical death [6]. It
should be pointed out that apart from the EM field, the displaced part of the
ionic acupuncture system (in the form of ionic neural network, having the
"optical" sensory function), must also be tunneled in such (acausal) interactions
of consciousness with distant events in space-time!

Hence,
a space-time destination, where a deceased ionic structure is tunneled at the
moment of death, depends on the post-mortem mentally loaded addressing of the
dying person. Therefore, it is quite reasonable that persons from different
traditions, reanimated from clinical death, are reporting on bizarre spiritual
contacts with "light beings." These beings are identified as founders of their
particular religious traditions (being mentally addressed as a target of prayer
prior to the near-death experience). Or with a series of pleasant or unpleasant
spiritual entities (contacts with them being induced by positively or negatively
mentally loaded contents, successively activated in the deceased ionic
structures). Or with their close relatives (being a target of personal concern
of the deceased) [6].

All these near-death experiences
might be categorized into so called astral projections of consciousness.
These are described by some rare practitioners as not being subject to
spatio-temporal limitations [14,15]. Their descriptions are quite in agreement
with the transitional states of consciousness predicted by the model.

These astral projections are presumably also the basis of most
psychic phenomena [16]. They also provide an explanation for the
transitional nature and difficult reproducibility of these phenomena. This is
because they last only ~ 0,1 s. The spontaneous conditions for them are achieved
only every 1.5 - 2 hours, corresponding to the periodicity of ultradian rhythms
which govern the interchange of normal and altered states of consciousness [11].
However, it should be noted that the non-low-dielectric barriers in interaction
with the low-dielectric barriers are helping in overcoming themselves in these
astral projections. This is quite opposite to normal experience in usual
mechanical interactions [14]!

The predicted transitional
states of consciousness could also be the biophysical basis of
anticipationb in intuition, precognition, and deep creative
insights. These states could easily be put under control by "mental addressing"
on the problem chosen, shortly before a waking-sleep transitional state! On
awaking, the brain would then amplify the dream concerning the solution of the
problem addressed, giving to it the appropriate priority with respect to other
processed information during the sleep phase. Information obtained in this way is
usually mixed through associative coupling with other conscious and unconscious
pieces of information during the following REM-sleep periods. This information
therefore has some symbolic form, which has to be decoded through an
introspective analysis of the dream. Naturally, to solve some scientific,
technical, or artistic problem in this way, it is necessary for the person to be
expert in the field, in order to articulate the solution obtained in the
corresponding scientific, technical or artistic "language".

The above mentioned astral projections of consciousness are
presumably also the basis of religious experiences. Such mental
addressing on spatio-temporally displaced, energetically abundant, ionic
disembodied archetype structures are found in religious traditions. They are
being mentally addressed as a target of prayer in transitional states of
consciousness. So, it seems that the efficacy of prayer in the
self-healing of inner psychological conflicts might be a consequence of similar
biophysical transpersonal interactions of the persons in conflict, and is due to
the transitional states of the praying person. This effect is then accompanied
by the mutualc reprogramming of interior conflicts (as a germ
of future interpersonal fights, as well as of potential psychosomatic and
psychological disorders).
That might provide an explanation for the extraordinary efficiency of prayer
accomplished shortly before sleeping, which is recommended by all religious
traditions (with direct mental addressing to the person in conflict, or
energetically more efficientd indirect mental addressing via ionically
abundant disembodied archetype structures), when it is easiest to control the
addressed mental contents prior the waking/sleeping transitional state!

3. Conclusion: At the Threshold of New/Old Humanism?

It is hereby demonstrated that the author's model of altered and
(particularly!) transitional states of consciousness is an excellent biophysical
framework for various states of consciousness described in religious and esoteric
traditions of East and West, implying their real biophysical nature. And also
its significance for understanding mechanisms of transpersonal mystical and other
transitional states of consciousness.

The transitional
character of mystical states also demonstrates why these phenomena are
short-lasting and poorly reproducible, and also why they are most easily mentally
controlled shortly before a waking/sleeping transitional state.

All this suggests that a deeper biophysical understanding of the
nature of consciousness and transpersonal phenomena might soon gives rise to a
scientific understanding and empirical verification of even fundamental
philosophical/religious questions (like the practical/spiritual significance of
imperative moral behavior of every individual, which is extremely
important for the accelerated integration and spiritual evolution of personality)
- and appearance of a new/old humanism; a new/old one without meaningless,
painful interpersonal, inter-ethnical, and inter-religious conflicts.

To support this, one can cite the technique adopted by "psychics" when they
want to exert some distant influence. They always intensely visualize the person
or place as mental targets! On the other hand, this could be deeply connected
with the role of consciousness in quantum theory of measurement, where
consciousness with its act of observation affects the final collapse of the
initial wave function into one of several possible probabilistic eigenstates.
This implies that the collapse could be related with the generation of a local
Einstein-Rosen bridge in highly noninertial processes of interactions of
microparticles with measuring apparatus [8,9], equivalent to strong gravitational
effects of crucial importance for this process [13].

According
to the computer experiments with random number generators [17], only
nonactualized possible futures can be anticipated (more accurately for a priori
greater probabilities of their realization), in accordance with a quantum
mechanical viewpoint. It should be added that the physical interaction of the
displaced gaseous ionic "optical" neural network with possible "objective" system
(described by possible wave function Yi )
or corresponding possible state of "collective consciousness" (Fi ), in "astral projections" during transitional
states of consciousness - also opens a question on the nature of wave functions
-- which should provide a picture of quantum-level physical reality (not only
serving as a calculation device, useful merely for calculating probabilities, or
as an expression of the experimenter's "state of knowledge" concerning physical
system)! Then by changing the initial state of "collective consciousness" (F) one can influence probabilities (
|ai|2 ) of realization of corresponding states Fi , i.e. possible objective states Yi (as the composite initial state of "objective"
system and "collective" observer is a superposition of all possible composite
states, YF =
aiYiFi ). As the very state of "collective
consciousness" (F) is a composite state constituted of
(noninteracting) states of all "individual consciousness" (jk), F ~jk, it
follows that the change of state jk of
"individual consciousness" can affect the state F of
"collective consciousness", and therefore the probabilities for realization of
possible objective states Yi). This is
particularly true if the state F is very sensitive on
small changes of initial conditions, which is the case for physical systems
described by deterministic chaos [18]. Having in mind that the brain and
corresponding state jk of "individual
consciousness" is such a kind of system, then the composite state F of "collective consciousness" is also described by
deterministic chaos --and therefore very sensitive on small changes in initial
conditions! Such a conclusion implies extraordinary practical significance of
contents of our "individual consciousness", as they directly determine the
probability of realization of possible objective states Yi , i.e. the future events, no matter how
bizarre this conclusion looks like [8,9]! In that context, what is actually
anticipated in transitional states of "individual consciousness" might be [8,9]
the evolved state of "collective consciousness" F(t)
in some future moment (to which "individual consciousness" has access, being the
constitutional part of "collective consciousness"), which is quantum-mechanically
described by deterministic unitary evolution governed by Schrodinger equation (or
Dirac equation in relativistic case). However, the anticipated state F(t) could be redefined by the changing initial state ji of "individual consciousness," thereby leaving
room for free will and the possibility for influence on the future. In this
respect, it is quite possible that strong preferences in individual or collective
futures exist, governed by karmical interpersonal loads, as it is claimed in the
Eastern tradition. Along the same line, it might also be possible that spiritual
cleansing (by prayer or some other esoteric technique) is the efficient mechanism
for changing the initial state of several interrelated "individual
consciousness," and hence "collective consciousness;" thus changing anticipated
preferences for both individual and collective futures [15,19].

That could possibly be the reason for Christianity's insistence on repenting
and forgiving ("And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors", Mt.6,12).
It represents a level of spiritual maturity of a person. This implies an
obligation of spiritually mature persons to help in reprogramming conflicts by
praying, even when they themselves are victims of the conflicts ("But I say unto
you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you,
and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you", Mt.5,44). It is
not even allowed to see evil in fellow-men and condemn them (an old biblical
commandment given to the man in paradise, forbidding to take food "of the tree of
the knowledge of good and evil" -- in fellow-men -- "for in the day that you eat
there-of you shall die" (Gen.2,17), whose violation has caused the Adam's fall),
insisting only on personal repenting and forgiving, as the only way in
reprogramming psychic conflicts. Anything else enhances the existing
mental/emotional personal loads and enlarges evil in the world, thus dismissing
an individual and humankind from the final spiritual ideal of a sinless state of
consciousness.

The displaced (outside the body) part of the
ionic acupuncture system of the estimated initial ionic concentration nj ~
1015 cm-3 (supporting the ULF brainwave ionic currents ~
10-7 A) has a significant tendency of deterioration during a period of
~ 1 hour [7,8], as the partial ionic pressure at room temperature is much more
greater than the magnetic pressure which pinches the ionic channel. However, the
stability condition of disembodied ionic structures could be met under
equilibrium of the two pressures, when nj ~ 1024 cm-3 [8].
It is obvious that this concentration exceeds by ~ 109 times that one
in the displaced deteriorating ionic structure, and that greater would be the
current flowing through the ionic channels (Io ~ 100 A). That concentration is
also ~ 104 times greater than bodily ionic concentration, which is
obviously non-adapted and risky for direct contact with biological species, but
not with those biological ionic structures displaced in transitional states of
consciousness far beyond the body. This condition might be subjected to
appropriate corrections of their (disordered) ionic distributions and
concentration, causing after transitional state of consciousness (and returning
of these structures inside the body) the positive backward effect on the
acupuncture ionic system of the individuals, and hence on their psychosomatic
healing [8]. So, it seems that the healing process can be related with the
transfer of ions (qi, prana, pneuma, ether ...) and/or transfer of the EM
information patterns, responsible for normal functioning of acupuncture system
and overall health. In that context, it seems that other esoteric notions [15,20]
such as subtle body (manomaya, lingasarira, manovijnana, ka, psyche, astral body,
psychic body ...) and mental body (vijnanamaya, suksmasarira, manas, ba, thymos,
mind, noetic body ...) are biophysically inevitably associated with a partly
displaced (from the body) ionic acupuncture system. And including an EM component
of ULF ionic currents embedded within it, respectively; on that line. The ionic
condensations in the structured acupuncture system, along with an EM component of
ULF ionic currents embedded within it, behave like "distributed centers of
consciousness." This is presumably the biophysical basis of yogic chakras [7,8].
It should be also added that ionic acupuncture currents, and accompanied EM
fields, have both ultralow-frequency (ULF) and microwave (MW) components. I.e.,
the MW component is modulated by the ULF component: in support to the ULF nature
of ionic currents in acupuncture channels. Also in support, one can cite the
resonance ULF (~ 4 Hz) stimulation of the acupuncture analgesia endorphin
mechanism [21]. On the other hand, the evidence for the MW component of ionic
acupuncture currents is provided by resonance MW (~ 50-80 GHz) therapy, efficient
even in very serious diseases [22]. According to former Soviet inventors of the
resonance MW therapy, Sit'ko and his collaborators, the acupuncture system is a
dynamic structure, differentiated at the locations of maximums of
three-dimensional standing waves, and is formed as a result of the reflection of
coherent microwave (~ 100 GHz [23]). Fröhlich excitations of molecular subunits
in the cell membranes and proteins are also supported by other investigations
which have demonstrated that differentiation of the intercell "gap junctions" (of
higher density at acupuncture points and meridians) is slightly sensitive to
voltage [24]. In that context, the explanation for efficiency of this method
should be sought: as some disorders in the organism give rise to a deformation in
the structure of electrical field of the organism in the MW region. This
influences some changes in the spatial structure of the acupuncture system, and
consequently its resonance frequency, resulting in some disease. During therapy,
applying MW sound at the corresponding acupuncture point results in the excited
acupuncture system of the patient to relax to its previous healthy condition.
Thus, while reaching its normal frequency response within the wide spectrum MW
source -- and according to physiological mechanisms of acupuncture regulation
[25] -- the organism biochemically overcomes the disease.

In
C.Tart, ed., Altered States of Consciousness (Academic, New York, 1972).

K.Jaspers, Algemaine Psychopathologie (Springer, Berlin, 1953).

R.A.Moody, jr., Life after Life (Bantam, New York, 1975);
W.Evans Wentz, The Tibetan Book of the Dead (Oxford Univ., London, 1968);
Fr. Seraphim Rouz, The Soul After Death (St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood,
Platina, CA, 1980).